Tag - Kilian Jornet

The Eighth Installment of Limone Extreme

Events kicked off on Friday evening, with the Limone Vertical Kilometer, a 3KM long, 1100-meter ascent that winds its way through the town center, up into an olive grove, and through a forest. The encroaching dimness and scenic variety of the twilight dash make the event all the more exciting. 183 runners from 20 countries took part in the race.
The Swiss runner Rémi Bonnet conquered the event, setting a new record on the course, at 00:36:02, and also becoming the Vertical Kilometer World Champion. Also hailing from Switzerland, Judith Wyder crowned the women’s results with a time of 00:43:47, defeating the previous women’s record by over a minute.
The 29KM Limone Extreme SkyRace comprises a rugged 2500-meter climb with limestone and gravel footpaths, steep and exhaustive incline features, and perilous descents. The trail is an ovular circuit in the mountains northeast of the town. Since the race caps off the SkyRunner World Series as a bonus race, awarding an extra 50% points towards rankings, competition was, as always, especially fierce.
In Saturday morning’s bristling heat 979 runners made their way to the starting line, representing 37 countries from around the world. Much of the race was a fierce head-to-head, as the results show, but the youthful Italian Davide Magnini tore ahead as the race’s victor, with a time of 02:59:04 , an incredible eight minute advance on the previous course record. Swedish orienteering master Tove Alexandersson finished with a time of 03:31:36, leading the women’s event results.
The marvelous weekend in Northern Italy culminated in the crowning of the Migu Run Skyrunner World Series champions. The Sky Classic Champions this year are the Swiss Pascal Egli and Briton Holly Page. This title is awarded based on runners’ five best performances in events from the Sky Classic Series, including a 50% bonus for their results in Limone.
The Overall Champions this year are the celebrated Catalan Killian Jornet and Dutch Ragna Debats. This title embodies runners’ best two results in Sky Classic and Sky Extra. An end of season bonus pool of €66,000 was distributed across victors of all three titles.
The weekend also included a 10KM for runners who sought to experience the sky running terrain without the full-fledged ardor the Extreme SkyRace entails. Donna4SkyRace, a project that seeks to support and empower women in the running community, both casual and professional, was also new this year. The project offers promotional registration pricing for women at the 10KM event.
Contouring the mountainous views at Limone is the alpine lake Garda, Italy’s largest. Naturally, the lake’s scenic views and pristine water offer a sight to be seen –– for tourists flock to Limone’s resorts year-round.
Yet the terroir of Limone is especially significant to our community­­; the region’s mountain paths are the lifeblood of our sport, and are themselves relevant to the town’s history. Until the 1930s, these mountain paths were the only land-based route for accessing the region, and sustained the local populace during numerous periods when the town neared desertion.
Limone is a bustling destination today, and the region’s mountain paths remain as vital as ever, as this weekend attests. For many, Limone caps off a packed year of racing and the start of preparations for the 2019 season.
The notion of a blank slate, a new start, is as rousing as ever.

UTMB, the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc is the biggest mountain ultra in the world. It is a dream for most mountain ultra runners to take part and winning catapults any runner to trail stardom.
The race kicks off tonight at 6.00pm local time. It is 170km with 10000m of ascent – Everest is 8848 meters to put that in context. There are 2300 runners and a cutoff time of 46.30 to complete the course. The leaders should take approximately 21 hours to finish.
So, what are the thoughts of the international champions who have taken part (past or present) as UTMB 2016 gets underway? We look at their motivation and inspirations, reflections and even share some of their training tips.

Zach Miller – 2015 CCC Champion

Photo Credit: Zack Miller’s Mom

“I’ve received many messages, emails, and words of encouragement from all sorts of people in the lead-up to UTMB, but this picture of a bulletin board from the school where my Mom teaches really hit home today. Thanks Mom!”

Rory Bosio, 2 x UTMB Champion

Photo Credit: North Face

“I do not have the fortitude to run just for the sake of running. I like to use running as a way to escape from everyday life or to see a new place. Fitness is a great by-product. I choose races based on location rather than competition. If I’m running somewhere that inspires me, or I find beautiful, I usually have a better race anyway.“ https://www.theguardian.com/

Kilian Jornet, 3 x winner UTMB

Photo Credit: UTMB

“A great athlete is one who takes advantage of the ability that genetics have brought him in order to secure great achievements, but an exceptional athlete is one who can swim in the waters of complexity and chaos, making what seems difficult easy, creating order from chaos. Creative individuals search for chaos in order to explore all the places they can imagine beyond the frontiers of consciousness, following the irrational forces that come from within themselves and from their environment.” https://www.amazon.com/Run-Die-Kilian-Jornet

Marco Olmo – twice winner of UTMB and Ambassador for IRUN4ULTRA

“It is very emotional to be back here because ten years has passed since I first won UTMB. I realise that the years have passed and that you have to be happy with what you have done before.”

Xavier Thevenard 2 x UTMB Champion

“UTMB is mythical because of its relationship to Mont Blanc. It is a place known all over the world and everyone wants to get closer to see what it looks like. And then there is the route itself that is very tough and physical. For purists, it’s something to do. Chamonix is the capital of mountaineering and all these make this race unique. I think this is how it will continue for a long time.” https://www.meltyxtrem.fr/

David Laney, UTMB 2015 3rd place

Photo Credit:David Laney

“Run the most technical trails you can find. Find steep rocky mountain ridges and steep rugged canyons that mirror the course you plan to race on. Get to a place where you can roll through really rooty, rocky or steep downhill sections. Find those trails that allow you to practice the more technical aspects of running. Do them again and again and again.The mountains are big and free and wild and powerful. Use those emotions to inspire your next race.” https://davidlaneyrunning.com/

Luis Alberto Hernando Alzago, Skyrunning Champion

Lizzy Hawker, 2 x winner UTMB

Photo Credit: Lizzy Hawker

“As a child I preferred to walk rather than take the bus and I just found moving under my own effort more appealing. By the time I came to run that first UTMB I was used to long days on my feet – mountaineering, hiking as well as running – and for a long mountain ultra like the UTMB ‘time on feet’ is good preparation.” https://www.independent.co.uk/

Jason Schlarb, 4th place UTMB 2015 and IRUN4ULTRA Ambassador

“I want to improve on my 4th place. I want to get on to that podium which is a very high ambition for a USA runner.One of our difficulties (in the USA) is that our mountains just aren’t as steep. We have the Rockies, but they are more characterized by switchbacks and there are trails there for mountain bikers and hikers whereas the Dolomites and the Alps are really sheer. I really attribute my fourth place to the fact that I went to Europe for three months to train. It made all the difference.” https://www.runultra.co.uk